This article contains MAJOR spoilers for HBO’s The Last of Us and The Last of Us I and II video games.
HBO’s Max’s latest zombie apocalypse show The Last of Us, is not your run of the mill “zombie show” because the “zombies” in the show are not zombies at all.
The show follows Joel, a man who was traumatized by his daughter’s death on the day of the cordyceps infection outbreak. The cordyceps fungus does not make its victims into reanimated corpses or zombies. Instead the bodies are overtaken by the fungus, with the humans still aware, but unable to control their actions, which makes the concept of the show even more terrifying. Twenty years into this post-apocalyptic world Joel meets Ellie, a fourteen year old girl who is immune to the cordyceps infection. His mission? To take her across the country to the Fireflies, a rebel group hoping to create a vaccine.
Rare fungi and immune teenagers are not the only unique aspects of The Last of Us franchise, it has fantastically impactful representation for women and the LGBTQIA+ community, and complex plot and characters that evoke an interesting commentary on the human condition.
If there is one thing you can be sure to see in the Last of Us franchise it is a strong, well-developed female character. In the first game and as the show has shown so far, Ellie is a spunky, fun teenage girl full of witty comebacks and puns , but she is also a tough, clever, courageous fighter who can hold her own in this scary infected universe. As the game develops so does she. When Joel passes away, Ellie is set on taking revenge on the people that killed him. She makes rash, complex decisions and choices that make her a morally gray female character, which is a rarity in TV and film. Ellie’s actions allow her character to not be confined in a box or a stereotype regarding gender. Ellie’s appearance is also revolutionary; she is quite a masculine looking woman, she has prominent muscles, and heavy tattoos. Her appearance creates a lot of negativity from the men in The Last of Us fan base because Ellie is not a “conventionally” attractive woman. Additionally, her enemy Abby, who murdered Joel, is also extremely masculine, both characters in appearance, plot, and motives are parallels to each other. Both create great polarity within the fanbase because they are able to reach beyond gender stereotypes and create a space for discussion on the complexities of their characters and story.
LGBTQIA+ representation is also portrayed in the game and the show. Ellie forms a beautiful relationship with her girlfriend Dina, which she ultimately sacrifices in seeking revenge for Joel’s death. Additionally in the show the story of two queer characters named Bill and Frank, their stories were less developed in the game, however the show has allowed their story to be fleshed out into a beautiful, tragic queer love story. Characters like these exist in video games and TV is so important because it shows that queerness exists everywhere. It allows for the audience to feel seen, heard, and represented.
The Last of Us video game and new HBO Max series is revolutionary for media and popular culture. The show will continue to stream throughout this month and has already been confirmed for a second season. Be sure to stream this riveting show on HBO Max and remember when you are lost in the darkness look for the light.